Joe Biden and Xi Jinping will see each other, at least virtually, next week, on a date that has not yet been set. Relations remain tense between the US and China but the climate agreement of these hours is good.

In the "Joint US-China Declaration to Improve Climate Action in the Twenties", three pages in all, the two countries say they are "committed to pursuing" the efforts to comply with the objectives of the Paris Agreement: to stay at least below 2 degrees of global warming from pre-industrial levels and aim to stay below 1.5 degrees. They also acknowledge that there is "a significant gap" between the efforts made around the world to tackle the climate crisis and "what needs to be done to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement".

The intention is to collaborate on "regulatory schemes and environmental standards to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the 1920s", to pursue "social benefits on the transition to clean energy", "policies to encourage decarbonization", "circular economy", "carbon capture and use".

A special paragraph is dedicated to collaboration in the fight against methane emissions, the most dangerous greenhouse gas, coming above all from leaks from extraction and distribution plants. China will undertake to implement a national emission reduction plan, and the two countries agree to meet next year to discuss the issue.

Then there is the reference to renewable energy sources, there is talk of cooperation especially on smart grids that have to manage the intermittent production of solar and wind power and on widespread production, as well as on energy efficiency.

China, it continues, is committed to ceasing coal consumption in its 15th five-year plan (2026-2030), and together with the US reaffirms the cessation of financing for coal plants abroad with unabated emissions.

(Unioneonline / ss)